Gene Simmons Sticks by ‘Rock Is Dead’ Statement

The Kiss co-founder made headlines when he used an Esquire interview (conducted by his son Nick) to talk about his belief that rock was "murdered" at the dawn of the file-sharing era, destroying the music industry and clearing the way for a time in which "nobody will pay you for the 10,000 hours you put in to create what you created. I can only imagine the frustration of all that work, and having no one value it enough to pay you for it."

And once again, Simmons pointed the finger at technology, saying, "I don't think it's the economics. I think it really comes down to when technology outpaces the laws of the land, it's the Wild West; people just go and grab territory and don't pay for it. It devalues new bands. It doesn't affect me -- I make a living -- but it's sad, because the next Beatles or the next Kiss, it does not have a chance."

And as for those who've publicly disagreed with his stance? Simmons doesn't bear a grudge, and he doesn't intend to stop offering his opinion. "It's called America. You're allowed to say stupid things. You're allowed to voice your opinion," he shrugged. "And I'm not better or worse than anybody else."